The Waking Nightmare
by MistressAli
Summary: XD This story is so OLD! My 4th fanfic. I'm posting it out of a strange desire to be laughed at. ;) It's a horror story...featuring Snively.


The Waking Nightmare (c) 98 by me, MistressAli  
All "Sonic the Hedgehog" characters and related indicia (c) and TM Sega.  
Used without permission.  
Packbell (c) David Pistone

This document may be freely distributed, as long as it's not altered in any way. Ok, peoples, this story contains: violence & swearing...just a warning... :)  
"The Waking Nightmare"

"Sleep with one eye open, gripping your pillow tight  
Exit light, enter night  
Take my hand  
You're off to Never-Never land..."  
--Metallica

NEW A/N as of May 2003:  
WOW. This is an OLD fic of mine. My 4th one to be exact! I actually never posted this anywhere because back then I thought it was 'too gory' and more recently I thought it sucked ass...but hey. I'm not going to be posting new stuff for a while, so why not at least post horrible old ones, right? ^^  
Anyhoo, here it is, the dreaded unreleased 4th fic, a 'horror story' brought about by watching a marathon of Child's Play movies!

Enjoy...

Robotnik had found the stone on one of his little outings. There was a faint power, some kind of vibrant energy humming inside it. Robotnik was always intrigued by power--he was drawn to it.  
So, he took the stone back to Robotropolis, examining it on the way back. It was amber-like, a semi-transparent murky gold, with some dark globby shape inside it. He turned it over in his hands, feeling a very slight hum and tremble inside it.  
He dropped the stone off in his personal lab and then headed to the control room, where he was greeted by Snively and a handful of reports, none of them good or interesting. With a growl, he slapped his nephew aside and settled into his chair. The papers flew into the air and scattered on the floor.  
Robotnik sighed as he eyed Snively, who was crouching down to pick up the papers.  
"Did anything happen when I was gone, Snively?" He had been gone only two days, but it didn't matter. The Freedom Fighters struck any time.  
"Well," said Snively, a little hesitantly. "There was an attempt to destroy a SWATbot factory."  
"WHAT?" bellowed Robotnik.  
"But sir...they didn't succeed," continued the lackey quickly.  
"Well, that's good. Anything else?"  
"No, sir."  
Robotnik dismissed Snively with a wave of his hand, then leaned back to think about his newest scheme.  
He had developed a fluid, that when injected into the body, would cause nightmares and hallucinations. Not just any nightmares, but horrible nightmares that would disturb and unbalance the dreamer even in their waking hours.  
He could imagine Sonic, stumbling and fighting imaginary creatures, while SWATbots came nearer and nearer... And then that rodent would be roboticized for once and for all!  
He planned to give the SWATbots dart guns; the darts filled with this liquid. Every Freedom Fighter hit would suffer from those dream-terrors and day hallucinations.  
For a special touch, Robotnik planned to grind up a bit of the energy stone and put it into the liquid--perhaps that energy would make the nightmares even more vivid.  
I want to test it first, of course, thought Robotnik. Who will be my lucky candidate?  
"Snively," he said, and the little man jumped to attention.  
"Sir?"  
"Prisoner count."  
Snively checked the surveillance monitors that looked down upon the cells. "I'm sorry, sir, but there are no prisoners. There were two roboticized this morning."  
Robotnik didn't show his annoyance. "Good," he said. Snively got back to work, typing out some paper or another.  
No matter, Robotnik thought, I know who to test it on. Not some whimpering prisoner who's already terrified. This wretch won't even know he's being experimented on. He gazed hard at the back of his nephew's head, and watched as Snively's shoulders tensed--he could feel the malicious stare.  
Robotnik rose from his chair and strode out of the room. Snively slowly swiveled around in his chair and eyed Robotnik's empty throne. He slid out of his chair with a smile, and walked over to Robotnik's massive seat.  
He loved to sit in that chair, and play around with the buttons that swiveled the chair back and forth. It even had buttons that raised it several feet above the ground. Also, the chair had a grandeur-feeling to it, making him feel all-powerful as he sat in it, which he did now.  
When Robotnik came back, Sniv would skitter over to his own chair, and pretend nothing had happened. Robotnik hadn't caught him once.

*

Robotnik eyed his nightmare-liquid, where it sparkled in the small syringe he held in his hand. Just a small amount for now, he thought. The rest of the liquid was safe in an unbreakable jar.  
The liquid was clear, with small flecks of amber from part of the ground-up energy stone. The rest of the stone was on his lab table. He tapped the syringe and watched tiny bubbles rise to the surface.  
Then, he put the syringe in his pocket, and headed back to the control room.

*

Snively had decided to test the button that raised the chair. He had never done so before, but now he stood up and looked down at the control room, seven feet off the ground.  
"Bow down to me!" he ordered an imaginary crowd, throwing out his arms. He started chuckling, but then stopped when he heard heavy footsteps nearing the control room.  
"Oh shit!" he yelped, pressing the button that lowered the chair. With a whine, the chair slowly began to descend.  
Sniv hopped out of the chair before it touched the ground, and turned around to see Robotnik standing in the door, shaking his head.  
"What are you doing, Snively?"  
"Ummm...."  
Robotnik walked into the room, frowning deeply. "Playing with my chair?"  
"Oh no, sir," lied Snively.  
Robotnik's face twisted into a vicious snarl. Snively backed up instinctively when he saw that face--that angry face that meant impending punishment.  
"Come here," said Robotnik, in his deep metallic voice.  
Snively walked over to the fat tyrant, shoulders slumped, and shut his eyes miserably as Robotnik raised a fist.

*

Robotnik looked down at his nephew. With one good punch, he had sent Snively hurtling into the unconscious world. But he wasn't really angry...he just didn't want Snively to be aware that he was Robotnik's newest test subject.  
Robotnik took out the syringe from his pocket. He tapped it again, then reached down and picked up Snively's limp arm. He found a vein, slid the needle in, and pushed the plunger down. Sniv wouldn't notice the little nick on his arm; he was always getting beat up anyway.  
"My dear nephew, you are going to experience some of the worst nightmares of your life," cackled Robotnik as he pulled out the empty syringe.  
"And if this works successfully on you--it will work wonderfully on that hedgehog!"  
His deep evil laughter made the very walls shiver.

**

"Stupid fucking reports...Robotnik doesn't even look at them. Don't know why I always have to do them."  
Snively pushed the enter button and watched the cursor blink insistently, awaiting his next word. He sighed and rubbed his head, which was aching. Stupid fat ass, he thought bitterly. Don't know why he got so angry...  
He absently scratched his arm, while turning to stare at the surveillance monitors. There was no moon that night, and the clouds hung low and purple. A faint mist hovered over the streets of Robotropolis, and not a breath of wind stirred. No Freedom Fighters were around...not at this time of night. It was late...he glanced down at his watch to see it read 3:00 am.  
He stared down at the notes he was typing into a report concerning SWATbots, and what could be added to improve them. Not like he gave a damn--he hated SWATbots; there were stupid and defunct and Robotnik had programmed them in an idiot fashion.  
He pondered putting that in his report: "Robotnik has programmed the SWATbots like a fucking moron; putting the hedgehog as priority one. I believe staying at their given stations should be their first priority; many a time Sonic has distracted the 'bots, allowing other rebels to get past them. If hedgehog was priority two, then the SWATbots would guard their stations much more effectively, not allowing any intruders to get by...for they would not be running off after that damn rodent."  
He eyed his typed paragraph in amusement for a second, then pressed the delete key, watching the cursor run backwards over the words, swallowing them. He would put his idea into the report; only more delicately.  
His eyelids drooped as he looked back at his notes, and he sighed heavily. The sigh turned to a yawn, and he dropped his head down to rest his chin on his hands.  
I'll just rest my eyes a little...only for a minute...  
Before he could even finish his thought, he was asleep...

**

He was in Robotropolis, walking down one of the many long corridors. The metallic walls reflected the dim light from above him, casting a faint shadow. His footsteps made barely a noise, and the floor was cool on his feet. He looked down. No wonder, he thought, my feet are bare. He wiggled his toes and then stared down the hallway as he heard an indistinct sound. It was very soft and whispery, but it was coming from ahead of him. He walked further down the corridor, straining his ears. It came again, a bit louder this time. This time he heard it more clearly; it seemed to be a crying sound.  
What could it be? Snively wondered, for it was him in this dream...walking down these corridors...although he seemed a bit taller than usual.  
He saw a closed door ahead of him in the hallway, and he heard it again. It was coming from behind the door, and the sound made him reel backwards this time, for it was a horrible anguished cry--fear and pain and helplessness all mixed into one agonizing moan. He caught his breath and tried to calm the trembles running through his body. He stepped forward on shaky legs, feeling afraid, and at the same time very sympathetic to the creature who was crying in this way.  
He pushed open the door very slowly, and warily glanced from side to side. The air was dead still. No sound touched his ears. He thought perhaps this was not the right room...maybe it was further down the hallway. Then he heard a peculiar sound--a slow steady dripping, like stray beads of water splashing down from a faucet into an empty sink. There was a chair in the corner of the room. It was turned away from him.  
The cry came again, so loud and horrible that Snively sank down to his knees, shaking violently. The air shivered away from the sound.  
It was coming from the chair. For the first time, Sniv noticed there was strange ropes around the chair...as he stood up and slowly took a step towards the seat, he noticed they were red...and slimy...  
He gulped loudly, and reached his hand out towards the chair. His fingers touched the leather surface and spun the chair around to face him. He leaped backwards, his hands going to his mouth. NO NO NO NO NO NO, he screamed silently.  
It was himself sitting in this chair.  
It was himself...but how could it be, since he was standing there, looking down at the chair? He backed away, his heart pounding.  
The man in the chair let out another wail of agony, his hands clawing at the air. No tears flowed from his eyes...he had no eyes...just bloody sockets. He was ripped clean open...and bound to the chair.  
Oh God, he's tied up with his...  
His own intestines bound him to the chair; they had been ripped out of his body by a merciless hand. He took another step backwards, not able to tear his eyes away from the tiny mutilated human. His foot slid upon something hard and sharp, he looked down to see a long white object, smeared with blood. They were scattered all over the place, all around the chair. He glanced back at the man in the chair (Snively?) and saw two more of those white objects sticking out from his empty eye sockets; that's how his eyes had been gouged out. Then he peered in closer at the man's ruined chest.  
Oh God...oh God...it's his ribs, he has no fucking ribs.  
He didn't want to see any more.  
It couldn't be Snively in that chair, he thought. I am Snively. This is some kind of sick nasty joke...by Packbell maybe, or even Robotnik.  
"Kill me," whispered the man in the chair. "Please, just kill me..." His heart pounding hard in his throat, he moved closer to the chair.  
"Please, no more," whispered the pain-racked man. "Kill me."  
"What's going on?" he said aloud. His voice came out as a deep growl, startling him. He looked down at his hands. Cruel talons curved up towards his face, smeared with gore. He looked down at his bare feet in horror; they were massive clawed paws. The scent of blood was more apparent to him now, and his mouth watered. He looked at the man in the chair, and grinned evilly.  
"Oh God, no!" screamed Snively, as the creature leapt upon him again, tearing his already bloodied flesh...

**

"AHHHHH!" Snively sat up with a scream. He was still sitting in front of the computer, and he breathed frantically; light and raspy. He gazed around the room, his heart slamming against his ribs. The surveillance monitors showed a daylit street. His breathing calmed down.  
"Just a nightmare," he muttered, shaking his head to clear away the last scraps of the dream.  
He let out a loud sigh, looking down at his notes. "Great," he said, picking up the damp piece of paper. "I got drool all over it."  
A sudden stabbing pain struck him in the forehead, and he shrieked, clutching his head.  
A strange creaky voice, like the sound of two twigs scraping against each other in a forest breeze, echoed through his mind.  
I AM WEAK... AND THIS ONE...HE IS WEAK...BUT HE WILL BE ENOUGH...  
The pain faded, and Sniv took his hands away. He looked up at the computer screen and read the page number...it was in the thousands. "What the hell?" he muttered, and then realized his head had been resting on the keyboard when he slept, filling page after page with gibberish. "Forget this," he mummered, deleting the whole file. "I didn't have much typed out anyway."  
"Talking to yourself?"  
Snively looked towards the control room's doorway. "Fuck off, Packbell."  
Packbell slid into the room, his stride graceful and full of power, like a stalking panther. "Oh, now that's no way to talk to an old friend."  
"Friend, ha."  
"You got that SWATbot report done?"  
"Why do you care?"  
Packbell folded his arms across his chest. "Because Robotnik wants me to update a few SWATbots using your suggestions. To see if they work better." He sneered. "Which they won't."  
Snively looked at the blank screen. "No. I don't have it done."  
"Why not?"  
Snively glared at Packbell. "Because I just don't."  
Packbell smiled at him; a very irritating arrogant grin. "Robotnik won't be happy about that, little man. He wants me to do those updates today."  
Snively held out his still-damp notes to Packbell. "Use these."  
Packbell stuck his nose slightly in the air. "You expect me to use those crude scribblings?!"  
"Yes."  
Packbell turned away. "Keep your notes, Needlenose. Robotnik won't blame me for the delay...the blame will go straight to you."  
Oh really? God, I'm really surprised here. Of course the blame falls on me. It would be a miracle if Packbell ever got in trouble. He watched with narrowed eyes as Packbell walked out of the room.

*

"I heard you didn't get those reports done," said Robotnik, later that day.  
Snively sighed, swallowing a drink of coffee. "No. I fell asleep."  
Robotnik raised an eyebrow. Then he said, very casually, "So, how did you sleep, hmmm?"  
"Awful."  
"Awful, how?"  
Snively raised his eyes to stare at his uncle. Why did Robotnik care how he slept? He was surprised Robotnik wasn't beating the crap out of him for sleeping on the job. "I had a nightmare," he said.  
"Poor baby. Maybe you will stay awake next time! I want that report done by tomorrow, Snively!"  
"Yes, sir."  
Packbell smirked from across the room.  
"If that report is handed over to Packbell before nightfall, you can have the night off," said Robotnik.  
Snively's eyes widened in surprise. "You mean that, sir?"  
"Of course."  
Snively hid a smile...he didn't want to look too eager for the night off. That would most likely make Robotnik go back on his word, just to piss him off.  
He looked back at his computer screen, where he had just typed the first sentence of the report. It would be easy to finish it before night rolled around.  
He had plenty of stuff to do on a free night.  
Scheme against Robotnik.  
Read his newest book, "Ready and Willing" a thrilling 'action-romance'.  
Get a good night's sleep.  
He got to work.

Robotnik smiled, leaning back in his chair.  
Seems my liquid is working already. He hasn't had any hallucinations yet, though. Ah, but he will. This will work. That hedgehog will be mine!

**

"'Oh God yes...yes oh faster yes faster!' She screamed, as he grunted and thrust deeper..."  
Snively looked up from his book, and let the story slid from his hands onto the bedspread. He so did love 'action-romances', as he called them. He looked out the window...there was still no moon. This time the clouds were an odd reddish color, probably caused by one of the many factories.  
He picked up the book, and flipped it to see the cover. A beautiful human woman lay on a bed, on her back, sideways to the camera...or painter, as it was. She was draped in a thin transparent sheet; it was apparent that she was nude. He set the book on his night table and closed his eyes...it would be so wonderful if that girl lived right here in Robotropolis. He'd be visiting her bedroom right about now...  
He glanced over at the clock. The red glowing letters read 2:00. He sighed contentedly, turned off the light, and snuggled under the covers. Within moments, his eyes were closed, and his body was enveloped in sleep.

*

Sweet heavens, this place was beautiful. It was a field of some sort, surrounded by beautiful trees...weeping willows and flowering dogwoods. There was a warm fragrant mist hanging in the air, adding to the mystique of the area.  
Snively found himself laying in the field, the sweet-smelling grass soft beneath him. He sat up, watching butterflies flutter around the flowers that dotted the field. My, this place is pretty, he thought. He had never had so much pleasure in nature before. He wondered briefly why he was so intent on destroying the Great Forest, and the other wild areas of Mobius. But the thought was fleeting; his breath caught in his throat as a figure entered the clearing.  
She was taller than him...which was not unusual. Her face was exquisite; with large olive green eyes, flecked with gold, a small nose, and full sensual lips. Her long dark hair tumbled to her waist like a silken waterfall. She was wrapped up in a sheet-like garment, much like the ancient Romans wore. But her garment was not thick white cloth; hers was a gauzy, transparent material. She wore nothing else beneath it, expect her glowing, flawless skin.  
Like my book, he thought dreamily, his eyes riveted to her. She came closer to him, her aura so sweet, that even the grasses bowed down before her.  
"Hello, little boy," she said, reaching him.  
He looked up at her, his entire body trembling.  
She knelt down; now she was his height, just a little shorter. His eyes widened as she leaned her face in close to his. She turned her head slightly, and pressed her luscious mouth against his. His hands fluttered at his sides as she kissed him, and he breathed hard as she pulled away.  
He trembled harder as she ran her hands down his chest. He felt his body react in the way only a male's body can react to her touch. She laughed throatily as her hands moved even further down his body. He gasped loudly; she had her hands down there...squeezing and fondling. She smiled at him, and stopped playing with him just long enough to move his hands to her breasts.  
He just stared at her, his hands resting lightly on her chest, his mouth slightly open. He couldn't believe this was happening...he whimpered softly and she smiled again. He finally got up the courage to run his hand along her breast, and felt her sensitive nipple respond to his touch. He felt a fierce jolt of pleasure, almost like fire, running up his spine.  
She leaned in to kiss him again, and he kissed back this time, closing his eyes.  
She pulled away, smiling slyly.  
He felt her fingers light on his zipper.  
Oh God, was his only thought.  
Then she began to laugh. It was throaty and sensual at first, and then slowly, it began to deepen.  
His eyes flew open at the low gravelly chortle that was emitting from her body...no way could her mouth produce such a looked down and saw she was beaming up at him; but this time the grin didn't send shivers of desire through him; this time the grin scared him.  
It was evil.  
His eyes widened in horror as her face began to ripple, as if there were water beneath her skin. Then her eyes sank way back into her head, turning into mean pinpoints of fire.  
He was rooted to the spot; unable to move.  
Her forehead stretched out; became long and broad, the flesh wrinkling into great furrows.  
Her nose flattened out, and the nostrils widened.  
Her ears stretched upwards into points.  
He struggled to move; he could not.  
Her beautiful mouth, so lustful, stretched sideways, causing her lips to thin out. Her smile widened, revealing long shark-like teeth.  
Her long hair no longer shone with good health; it shone with foul-smelling grease. He moaned as the hideous face leered up at him. He saw her hands, still on his zipper; they had gained long curving claws.  
She was still grinning, and lowered one of her hands. The long claws pointed up, and suddenly she shot the hand upwards. A whispery scream escaped his lips, and he gaped down at her in disbelief...she had just buried her claws in his groin. She drove her hand in deeper, wiggling the fingers,and he could feel the tips of her claws inside his stomach. Then she pulled out her claws, coated with blood. Crying, he staggered, and would've fallen to his knees, but she stood up, grabbing him by the upper arms.  
She towered a good two feet above him. His terrified gaze was drawn to her, although her image was blurred by his tears. Her claws dug into his arms to keep him standing; dug in so deep they rested against the bones.  
He could smell his own blood in the air, thick and warm, from where it oozed from his arms, and dripped down his legs.  
"What...what...are...you..." he whispered.  
"Going to do with you?" she finished.  
He nodded weakly, whimpering in pain.  
She lowered her face into his. Her breath was so hot it seared his face. "You're going to set a new record, boy. For the longest, most agonizing death that heaven or hell has ever seen..."  
"Oh God," he sobbed.

"God can't help you here," she laughed wickedly. Then she leaned her face in, kissing him again. He struggled, crying, but she held him firm in her grip. Her tongue danced in his mouth like an octopus's tentacle, complete with cruel suction-cups that tore his flesh.  
She pulled away, and he gasped for breath, only to blow it out in a scream of terror as she leaned in again. This time her teeth met his face, tearing and ripping the skin mercilessly, grinding deep into the bone of his skull.

**

The clock hit the floor with a loud thump as Snively sat up, swinging his arms up to ward off the beast.  
He was gasping for air, sweat dripping down his face, his eyes wide with fear. Panting, he looked slowly around, and saw nothing. No monsters. No fields.  
His sheets were soaked...not just with sweat either. "Oh great," he said aloud. His voice echoed in the room; it was comforting. "That's good, Sniv. Thought you outgrew peeing the bed." He plucked at the blanket in disgust. "Guess I haven't." He shivered suddenly as the cool air of the room hit his sweaty skin.  
He heard a faint sound and froze. But there was nothing there. He hugged himself in relief. The sleeves of his robe were hiked up, and he could feel his bare arms. They were wet, a strange thick warm wetness that was definitely not sweat. He realized then how his arms hurt--they stung and burned. He drew his hands away, afraid to look down at them, so he peered down at his arms instead.  
They were bleeding, scratched in the exact place where the beast had held them. Not deep scratches, just enough to draw blood. His hands were smeared with it. Trembling, he wiped them off on the blanket, his eyes darting wildly around the room. He wasn't aware of his low frightened moan until a noise made him close his mouth, shutting off the sound.  
It was a strange hissing noise, almost inaudible. But he did hear it, and it sent terror crashing down onto him. He froze like a frightened rabbit under the watchful hawk's eye, but the next sound sent him running for the door. His sweaty hands scrambled on the touchpad and the door slid open. He raced out into the hallway, nearly careening into the wall in his panic.  
He fled down the hallway, his little bathrobe flapping around him, but it didn't cover up the sound of soft footsteps behind him. He let out a scream of sheer terror, expecting curving claws to dig into his back at any moment. He ran even faster.  
He turned the corner and disappeared, still running even though he could no longer hear the footsteps.  
The sound of his running feet faded away from the hallway he had just exited. The air in the corridor was still, disturbed by nothing. There was nothing there...

*

Robotnik was sleeping so deeply that he didn't stir when his door opened. However, he awoke when Snively dove into his bed, wiggled under the covers, and huddled against Robotnik in a fearful ball.  
"Uncle Julian," a squeaky voice, quivering with fright, called. "Wake up! Wake up!"  
Robotnik opened his eyes sleepily as he felt two hands grab his arm and shake it. He sat up, his glowing eyes tingeing Snively's frightened blue eyes to red.  
"What is it, Snively?" he asked, irritated, yet slightly pleased. After all, his experiment was going favorably.  
"Nightmare....she...she...hurt...oh God..." Snively was whispering, his words stumbling over each other.  
"Calm down, Snively!" bellowed Robotnik, glancing over at the clock. 3:30. He expected Snively to obey, apologize, and leave. But his yell only frightened the little man more, sending tremors running through his body. For the first time, Robotnik detected the smell of urine.  
"Snively, you stink," he said. Had he pissed the bed or what? Robotnik chuckled--that must've been one scary dream! Snively was still babbling, his voice high and trembling. He clutched at Robotnik's arm, shaking and with tears running down his cheeks.  
Robotnik found it disgusting. "Get a grip on yourself, Snively, and quit whining!" He raised his voice, but Sniv only shrieked and shook hard enough for his teeth to chatter.  
Oh, enough of this nonsense, thought Robotnik. He grabbed his nephew by the throat hard enough to cut off his air. Then he shook him violently. When he finally let go, Snively was gasping for air, but his eyes had lost that frantic sheen.  
"Now," said Robotnik. "Tell me what happened."  
"I...I...had this dream...and there was this lady. She was beautiful. Anyway, she came up to me and..." Snively blushed and decided to skip that part.  
Robotnik rolled his eyes, knowing Snively's mind had probably spawned some steamy sex scene. Snively didn't think Robotnik knew, but the fat tyrant had seen him reading those porn books when he was supposed to be working.  
Pathetic.  
"...after that, she turned into this monster..." he shuddered, "...and she attacked me, she was ripping off my face and..." He gave a howl of fear, and Robotnik raised a hand to slap him.  
"When I woke up," Snively managed to continue. "Oh God, when I saw..."  
"A monster in your closet?" sneered Robotnik.  
"No!" said Snively, not even acknowledging the taunt. "In the dream, she clawed up my arms...they were..." He sobbed and Robotnik shook his head hopelessly.  
"Get out of here, you pathetic worm."  
Snively shook his head rapidly. "No, please! She's there!"  
Robotnik growled, fully annoyed at last. He grabbed Snively's arms by the wrists, squeezing hard enough for the bones to grind together. Sniv cried out, but Robotnik's eyes widened and his mouth dropped. There was blood running down Snively's arms. He moved his gaze upwards to see long scratches across his upper arms, some oozing blood, some starting to clot.  
"See?" said Snively. "SEE?!"  
Robotnik felt an odd queasy feeling in his stomach. "Snively...how did that happen?"  
"I told you, SHE DID IT!" his nephew shrieked.  
"Shut up," said Robotnik, tightening his grip even more on Snively's wrists, causing his nephew to squirm in pain. He searched hard for a rational explanation. Could Packbell have done this? Nah...the android didn't know anything about the experiment, and even if he had, he wouldn't of known what Snively's dream was about. Ditto for Scratch, Grounder, Coconuts, or even Mecha Sonic.  
Then suddenly Sniv screamed, screamed so loud that it made Robotnik yelp. He let go of Snively's wrists and the little man clutched his head, still wailing. It was the kind of scream Robotnik sometimes heard from captive children; it was ear-piercing and cut straight to the bone.  
There was a terrible pain in Snively's head, as if someone was stabbing his brain repeatedly with a knife. An odd hissing sound, like static, filled his ears, and then that strange echoing voice he had heard before spoke.  
HMMM...I THOUGHT THIS ONE WAS WEAK, BUT I WAS MISTAKEN. HE HAS MUCH ENERGY-MUCH OF THIS WONDERFUL FEAR, DEEP WELLS OF IT, STILL TO BE DISCOVERED AND TAPPED. AH, THE FEAST IS INDEED REFRESHING. BUT I WANT MORE...  
The voice died down, and Snively's scream faded to whimpers. Robotnik suddenly froze, his head swiveling to the slightly open door. Snively was still whimpering and sobbing. Robotnik hissed, "Quiet!" and clamped his hand over Snively's mouth.  
There was something coming down the hallway. Robotnik strained his ears to hear better. It was a strange clicking noise, tapping loudly on the metallic floors.  
It wasn't a SWATbot or any other robot. It wasn't Packbell or any other minion. It wasn't even the footsteps of Freedom Fighters.  
Robotnik felt sweat break on his forehead, but he frowned heavily, trying to calm his uneasiness. He glanced at Snively, who's frantic squeals were muffled under his hand. His nephew's eyes were wide with terror, sweat and tears dripping down his face, and his body limp and quivering.  
He looks like he's going to die of fright!, thought Robotnik in amazement. He had never seen Snively so panicked--so far off the edge before.  
"Who's there?" yelled Robotnik, as the clicking noise came nearer.  
Snively shook his head frantically. Shut up, SHUT UP! His thoughts screamed. She'll find us if you don't shut up!  
The clicking sounds came closer, and stopped--right outside the door...  
A soft hissing breath came from out in the hallway--was some creature standing there, peering into the dark room, licking its lips? Robotnik held still. Snively lowered his head, screwed his eyes shut, and tensed his muscles, waiting for the shredding claws.  
Robotnik reached slowly under his pillow where a laser pistol resided.  
There was silence outside the door. Then a low throaty chuckle started up, getting louder and louder until it echoed back and forth between the walls. Robotnik felt a few beads of sweat roll down his face and he clutched the pistol firmly in his hand. He looked over at Snively and met a blank glassy stare. Sniv seemed to be in some kind of shock--he was unmoving and whimpering very softly. Then the laughter died down and the clicking noise began to head the other way. Robotnik thought he heard a voice call...but it was garbled.  
SOON... VERY SOON...  
The fat man was still for a few moments. Then he removed his hand from Snively's mouth, and elbowed him in the ribs. Sniv seemed to wake up a little, his eyes losing that glazed dead-fish look. "Is...is she gone?" he whispered.  
"Yes," said Robotnik. He wiped his forehead. "What *was* that?"  
"I told you...it was her. The monster. She said she was going to kill me...she's just toying with me now."  
Robotnik thought that as a toy, Snively would have to be a rag doll, limp and passive. Well Robotnik was not. Robotnik considered himself to be one of those plastic toy soldiers, the kind that seem impossible to destroy, no matter what happens to them.  
"Go back to your room, Snively," he said. "There's no such thing as monsters."  
He watched as his nephew's eyes grew wide, and he began to shake again. "Please, sir, please, don't make me go..."  
"Fine," growled Robotnik. "But you're sleeping on the floor."  
"Thank you, sir," whispered his nephew, slipping off the bed. Robotnik peered over the edge of his mattress and watched Sniv curl up on the floor.  
Then Robotnik laid back down again, closing his eyes. He felt vulnerable and open to attack; the footsteps had indeed unnerved him.  
What is going on?

**

"So...did you give Robotnik his jollies?"  
"What?" Snively looked up at Packbell, scowling.  
"You know what I mean. Did you suck his..."  
"Shut up, Packbell."  
Packbell smirked evilly, as Sniv raised his coffee cup to his mouth. Then he casually swung his arm out, striking the cup. Snively howled as the hot coffee splashed down his chin, and all over his shirt.  
Robotnik allowed himself a small smile as he watched Packbell harass Snively; it was always an amusing sight to him.  
But Robotnik didn't expect Snively's next reaction; usually the little man was so passive about his treatment...he got angry, but he never did anything.  
Packbell walked away, chuckling, then turned to say something that would truly piss Snively off. But he never got the chance. The coffee cup came hurtling at him, striking him in the face so hard it shattered. His fake skin was cut by the flying shards and oil oozed down his face. One of his optical sensors was damaged, and he growled as the vision was cut off in his right eye.  
"You BASTARD!" yelled Packbell, charging at Snively, but the little man sidestepped, pushing his chair into Packbell's path.  
The android hit the chair before he could slow down, and flipped over it, crashing into the console. Packbell whirled around on his heels, his arm flinging out to grab Snively, but he jumped backwards. Robotnik watched with his mouth slightly open as Snively drew his laser pistol and shot Packbell point-blank in the face,in the left eye.  
Packbell howled in rage as his other eye lost its vision and a golf-ball size hole was blown clean through his face.  
"I'LL KILL YOU!" he shrieked, but Robotnik bellowed.  
"ENOUGH!"  
Both Snively and Packbell looked over at him.  
"Doctor, did you see what he did?!" Packbell shouted.  
"Yes..." said Robotnik, eyeing Snively. The little man stared back at him, eyes narrowed and one fist clenched, the other still holding the gun. Robotnik raised his eyebrows.  
"He's damaged my optical sensors," complained Packbell. "I can't see in normal vision...I can only see with my heat sensors." The android looked at Robotnik, seeing a large glob of red and yellow, with the surroundings in cold tones of blue and green.  
"Snively, go repair those sensors. NOW!" commanded Robotnik.  
Snively looked over at Packbell. "Repair him? I think not."  
"What do you mean 'you think not'?!" yelled Robotnik angrily.  
"It means I won't repair that dumb fuck, you fat tub of lard."  
Robotnik stared at Snively in disbelief; he couldn't believe the words coming out of his nephew's...his slave's mouth.  
"Snively, you will do it and do it NOW!" Robotnik rose slightly out of his chair. If Snively disobeyed...  
"Fuck off," said Snively, with a haughtiness that sent Robotnik off the edge, into a deep pit of anger.  
He rose entirely from his chair and stepped down, taking a few paces towards his nephew. Snively stared up at him, standing completely motionless. His eyes were filled with icy blue contempt, and his mouth twisted into an arrogant sneer.  
Robotnik felt uneasy...and he didn't like it. He wasn't supposed to be scared...scared of Snively, it was ridiculous. What the hell is Snively's problem anyway...why isn't the little worm afraid?  
Robotnik clenched his huge fists...he would beat the last traces of pride out of his nephew...he would humble him and make him cry at the feet of his master. He raised a fist, and watched Sniv's reaction carefully.  
There was no change of expression, but his lackey's muscles tensed ever so slightly...probably ready to leap aside if Robotnik struck.  
Snively didn't understand it. He couldn't understand this sudden fearlessness that overtook him. Robotnik's giant fists were threatening to smash him, to beat him bloody, but Snively didn't care. He felt tall and brave and ready to stand up to his uncle. But it wasn't like him...he wouldn't ever do that, not without power on his side. And he had no power over Robotnik at the moment.  
I'm possessed, he thought, someone has taken control of my body.  
"Go ahead, hit me," he said aloud.  
God...what am I saying? he thought frantically. I don't want to die.  
Robotnik raised his fist higher, ready to slam it down like a sledgehammer. Without warning, Snively let out a scream, the same kind of scream from the other night. He dropped down to his knees, his hands going to his head. The voice was back in his brain, echoing through his skull.  
THE SURFACE FEAR GONE...BUT THE DEEP WELLS REMAIN...I WILL TAP EVERY WELL AND TEAR OUT ALL HIS ENERGIES!!!  
Snively slowly took his hands away from his head, and looked up at Robotnik. The fat tyrant stared down at him. He grabbed Snively by the collar, pulling him to his feet, and drew back his fist.  
With satisfaction, he watched as Snively's eyes grew wide and he trembled, cowering in Robotnik's grip. "Sir, please, I'm sorry," he begged.  
At the same time, Robotnik felt a bit upset. Snively's little personality change had unsettled him. A red button bleeped on the console.  
"An alarm was tripped in Lab D4," said Packbell. He checked the surveillance monitor for Lab D4. The room was a glob of blue and green, with a small spot of red. That was his newest test subject, a small child. But other than her, there was no one else.  
"There's no one there," he said. "But you know...the new alarm system in the labs are super-sensitive."  
Robotnik eyed Snively, who seemed to be back to his old self, fearful and wide-eyed. "Snively," he said. "You go fix it."  
"Yes sir," mumbled the little man, running out the door.

**

Snively trotted down the dimly-lit corridors, heading down the long passages towards Lab D4. He took an elevator, going down ten floors.  
He left the elevator. Now he was on the floor that held all the laboratories. He saw the door to D4 down the hallway, and he approached it. The alarm was still howling. He pushed open the door and went in.  
After turning off the alarm, he peered around the lab. This was one of Packbell's labs. Packbell held the labs D4, D5, and D6 for his personal use. Robotnik had labs D1, D2, and D3. Snively himself had labs D7 and D8.  
In the corner of this lab, there was a little cage and huddled in the cage was a small raccoon child. He tapped on the cage, and she glanced up at him with horrified green eyes.  
"MOMMY!" she screamed. "I WANT MY MOMMY!"  
"Be quiet," he said.  
He didn't know what Packbell was doing with her. Probably something sick. Snively shuddered; he imagined Packbell had probably molested this kid, in more ways than one...Packbell got off on things like that.  
Twisted son of a bitch.  
He turned away from the cage, leaving the sobbing child behind as he exited the lab.  
The lights flickered. He paid it no heed as he headed down the long stretch of hallway that led back to the elevator. They flickered again, and he glanced up. There was a strange drawn-out moan as the lights flickered one last time, then died.  
Snively stood absolutely still, not even breathing. He expected the red back-up lights to turn on. They did not. He breathed out, very quietly. Then he took a soft step down the hallway. The elevators will still work, he thought.  
The darkness was complete. He breathed in deeper than usual; it was as if the blackness made the air heavier and harder to take in. A faint click behind him made him whirl around, striking his hand against the wall. He stifled a cry, straining his ears to hear.  
The click sounded again, much closer this time. His heart wrenched inside his chest, and Sniv whirled back around, running down the hallway. He ran into a lab, and slammed the door behind him, then pressed the touchpad that locked the door.  
The room was drenched in darkness. Panting, he strained to make out any part of his surroundings. He figured he was probably in Lab D3, one of Robotnik's.  
There was a clawing sound at the door.  
It's her, he thought. She's come to kill me.  
His heart was pounding so hard he wondered why it didn't break through his ribs, burst out of his chest, and fall, bloodied, to the floor. Raspy and frantic, his breathing revealed his intense fear. I'll die before she finds me...so this is what it's like to die of fear...  
The claws squealed against the door again. His heart fluttered wildly and he felt the raw terror buzzing through every vein and every nerve. He felt strangely faint. I'm going to die, he thought, I'm going to die of fear.  
Then suddenly he felt very light, like he was floating, filled with a very buoyant, but very black air. And then, he was sent crashing to the ground, and something left him--something invisible forced its way out through his body.  
Then the invisible thing took shape in front of him. At first it was a gauzy white cloud, and then it molded itself into the shape of a glowing transparent girl. Her hair was a trail of mist behind her and she floated delicately, about a foot off the ground.  
He felt tears sliding down his face--her glowing, light-filled form brought no images of angels to his mind. She was no being of goodness--she had stolen this light from somewhere...(from him?)  
"Hello," she rasped. Her voice was the same deep echoing one that he had heard in his head. She threw her arms out. "Thanks to you--I have achieved spiritual form."  
He stared at her in horror--her nails were growing into long claws.  
"Now," she said, and her voice was so malicious that it made him start whimpering in fear. "Now, I'm going to kill you, kill you nice and slow, to leach the maximum amount of energy from you."  
She advanced on him and he moved backwards, tripping over something on the floor. He managed to keep his balance by flinging his arms out and grabbing the corner of a nearby table.  
"Your death," she said, "Will be my life." She smiled. "The creation of my physical body."  
"No, no, please. Don't hurt me..."  
She chuckled at his pleas. Then she lunged. He skittered around her and ran towards the door--or where he thought the door would be, and ended up running into some table or cart. He gasped and looked behind him to see her moving towards him, claws outstretched. He dodged around the table, but once again, he slammed into something else, this time the corner bashed him right in the groin.  
A breathy whistle ripped from his throat and he dropped to his knees, clutching his injury.  
She chuckled, grabbed his foot and flipped him onto his back. She ran one hand over his belly, then raised it, the long claws gleaming.  
"No!" he whispered. "NO!"  
The lights came on again. Surprised, the entity looked up towards the ceiling.  
Snively took his chance; he jumped to his feet and ran (well, speed-limped) for the door. He punched the touchpad and the door slid open. He ran through it. He felt nauseous from hurting himself and wanted nothing more than to sit and wait for the dull ache to fade. But that was an impossible want; as he cast a glance over his shoulder, he saw the entity pursuing him.  
She smiled evilly, walking leisurely after him. There was nowhere he could hide--it was pointless to waste her energy running after him. She'd find him eventually.  
Panting, he continued to run. His arm itched as he ran, but he ignored it for the moment. He slammed the button for the elevator with his fist and the doors opened. He hopped in and pressed the up button.  
As the elevator ascended, he scratched his arm. Then he examined it--it had been itching like crazy lately. He noticed a small red dot--that was what itched, like a pinpoint of fire. He raised his arm closer to his face and frowned.  
He'd done enough experiments on poor, unwilling Mobians to know what had made that mark. The needle of a syringe.  
Instantly, he remembered the day Robotnik had gotten overly angry and knocked him out cold. That night, while working on the SWATbot report, his arm had been itching furiously! His eyes narrowed in realization and he slammed his fist against the side of the elevator with a howl of anger.

**

The doors to the command room slid open and Snively stormed in. "Sir," he demanded, stopping before Robotnik's throne. "What did you inject me with?"  
Robotnik smiled slightly. "So you found out, eh?"  
"Yes," said Snively.  
"It was a fluid to induce nightmares and hallucinations."  
"What?! How dare you--I am NOT one of your test subjects!"  
Packbell laughed. "Are you sure about that?" His voice turned to singing. "Oooh, Dreamweaver, I believe you can get me through the night-ighhhhttt!"  
Robotnik cringed at Packbell's singing.  
"So that monster I saw wasn't even real," growled Snively. "I almost had a heart attack."  
Normally Robotnik would've told Snively to shut up and stop complaining. But he felt a little uneasy. I heard those claw-clicks too the other night...he couldn't of been hallucinating that...  
"Doctor," said Packbell. "There's someone riding the elevator." He squinted at the surveillance monitor that showed the elevator and saw a pulsing glob of red and yellow with his heat sensors. It was vaguely girl-shaped. "It appears to be a girl," he added.  
Snively's heart began to thump hard again. He swallowed. "An anthro?"  
"I really don't know, needledick, since a certain little mutant freak wrecked my optical sensors."  
Robotnik stood up and walked over to the surveillance monitors, and leaned in to study the elevator. "It looks like a ghost," he said. "Well, somewhat like one."  
Snively ran over to Robotnik's side and peered at the screen. "Oh my...it's her." His eyes grew frantic. "Tell me I'm hallucinating."  
"Perhaps," mused Robotnik. "But if you were hallucinating, I wouldn't be able to see her. Only you could."  
"Then she's real?" Snively groaned.  
"I believe so." Robotnik stared down at his nephew, who was starting to look hysterical.  
"She wants to kill me," he gulped. "WHAT IS SHE?!"  
Robotnik peered at the screen. The elevator was three floors away. "Lock the door, Snively." The little man ran over to the doors and pressed the touchpad. They locked with a loud click.  
"Good," said Robotnik. "Now tell me, besides nightmares, has there been anything else?"  
"She killed me in all the nightmares," said Snively flatly. "And I keep hearing voices in my head."  
Packbell made a crazy motion with his finger, but Robotnik pressed a button on the console and watched as the elevator stopped between floors.  
"That will hold her for a while."  
He walked over to one of the keyboards and began to type. The words 'energy stone' leapt onto the screen.  
"What are you doing, sir?"  
"I found an energy stone on my last trip. Some of it I ground up and put into the fluid...perhaps an explanation lies in that stone."  
Blue eyes widened in horror as Snively stared at the surveillance monitor. The girl had crawled through the little trapdoor on the ceiling of the elevator. She was standing on top of the elevator and grabbed a cable in her clawed hands and began to climb, determined to reach their floor...  
Robotnik found a whole list of energy stones on the computer, hundreds of them. He called up 'keywords-to narrow your search' and typed in 'amber-colored'.  
The screen read: 'Yellow Chaos Emerald, Sunshine stone, Sun Rock, Yellow Power Charm..." The list went on and on. He typed in 'small size'. The list of amber-colored small-sized energy stones popped onto the screen, complete with little thumbnail pictures. He scrolled down the list, and then a little picture caught his eye.  
"I found it," he said, clicking on the picture.  
A larger picture and information came up. Snively listened as Robotnik began to speak, although his eyes were riveted to the surveillance monitor. She was still climbing.  
"It's called the Cage Stone. In the old days, it was used by wizards to capture demons and other entities." Robotnik frowned. "One of the most common demons was called a LifeSnatcher. It started out as a light misty form. It would enter into a body, and steal the most abundant energy of the host."  
"My fear," whispered Snively.  
"As it gets stronger, it can exit the body temporarily to create situations that will make the host create more energy in response to the situation." He stared at Snively. "Such as claw-clicks in the hallway...to frighten you even more..."  
"Keep reading."  
"Finally, with enough energy, it leaves the host and is in a semi-tangible, ghostlike form. Then it kills the host and consumes the last of the energy, which is usually enough for it to create a psychical body for itself."  
Snively began to breathe harder. She is real...  
"After its body is created, it kills anything and everything, just for the sport of it."  
Snively watched the monitor as she reached their floor, and was prying open the closed elevator doors with one hand, while the other clutched the cable.

"Well, I guess you're going to die," Packbell said to Snively.  
"Silence, Packbell," ordered Robotnik.  
"You put that thing into my body...and now it's coming..." Snively was looking more heart-attack bound by the moment.  
"If it's ghostlike, then how come it doesn't float through the walls?" demanded Packbell. He seemed unconcerned--smoothing back his black hair with one nonchalant hand.  
"It's partly solid," explained Robotnik. "It's like liquid, somewhat."  
"How do we kill it?" asked Packbell. He wasn't worried about Snively. But he was concerned for Robotnik, and also for himself; with a physical body that girl could possibly rip him to pieces.  
"I don't know," mummered Robotnik. He leaned in to read more of the information, but suddenly pounding echoed on the door. She was right outside, trying to bust through the locked door.  
Snively began to sob in fear and Packbell rolled his eyes. "If it's liquid, we can freeze it," he suggested.  
"SHUT UP!" screamed Snively in panic. "We have to get away!"  
Robotnik agreed and headed for a smaller room off the command center, which held a hovercraft for emergency purposes. Snively and Packbell ran after him and they all squeezed into the craft.  
Robotnik slumped in the passenger chair, while Packbell stood up, and Snively plopped down in the pilot's seat.  
"Auto pilot," he said.  
-Auto pilot engaged.-  
A door in one side of the room opened, revealing the afternoon sky of Robotropolis. The hovercraft shot out of the door into the sky and hovered in front of the building, awaiting instructions.  
"Alright...how do we kill this thing?"  
They all pondered for a moment.  
"Can we trap it inside the Cage Stone?"  
"How?" demanded Robotnik. "And the stone is in my lab."  
"I'll go get it," volunteered Packbell. "If you think of a way to use it."  
At that moment, the entity appeared in the hovercraft room they had just left. She stared out the open doorway for a moment, then crouched. Like a spring, her muscular legs propelled her through the air. She landed neatly on their roof. Her curving claws attacked the roof viciously. She'd claw her way through.  
-Warning-, trilled the computer, -Damage is occurring to exterior top surface of unit.-  
"No shit," mumbled Snively. He addressed the computer. "Full loop."  
The hovercraft did a somersault in the air. They heard the entity's claws scrabble wildly on the hovercraft's roof, then it slipped off the craft.  
"We lost it."  
"Umm...no we didn't!"  
The entity was eyeing them through the windshield, arms crossed. She was floating on the air with apparent ease. Slowly, she shook her head, grinning evilly.  
"Back up," said Snively. "BACK UP!"  
The hovercraft moved backwards. Snively leaned forward, grabbing the manual controls. He swerved around the entity, tilted the hovercraft sharply on its side, and the aircraft shot between a narrow gap between two buildings. Laughing, the entity literally ran on the air after them.  
"Snively, get us the hell out of here!"  
Packbell sighed as one of his optical sensors flickered and came back online. His internal healing systems were still working on the other eye. He leaned in to study one of the little monitors. "She's fifty yards behind us."  
"Gaining?" asked Snively.  
"Gaining," agreed Packbell.  
"Step on it," said Robotnik. "And don't hit any buildings!"  
"Twenty yards!"  
"Hold on," Snively ordered. Robotnik's yelp of surprise echoed through the air as Sniv pushed down on the stick, sending the hovercraft hurtling downwards in a nosedive. Packbell braced himself against the back of Robotnik's chair, not wanting to fall downwards onto the windshield.  
Robotnik was howling at Snively as the ground came rushing up to meet them. Teeth clenched and eyes narrowed in concentration, Snively pulled up on the stick and the craft rose up and screamed under an archway and then between two buildings.  
"Warn me, Snively, when you're going to do that," panted Robotnik. Packbell just laughed.  
They were about ten feet off the ground. From the egg-shaped central building, huge cables sprawled out over the ground like exposed roots on an ancient tree. The cables were long and metal, and some twelve feet in diameter. Excellent hiding places, Robotnik thought.  
"Snively...can you fly down among the cables?"  
"Yes," responded the lackey, "But I have to go slow."  
Good, thought Robotnik, who had about enough of Snively's reckless flying--it was more dangerous than the damn entity!  
Packbell studied the monitor. "The trackers show no sign of her."  
Snively smirked and Robotnik slapped him upside the head. "Stop smiling and think up ways to use that stone."  
"You didn't read all the information," said Packbell. "I'll go read it and get that stone."  
"Fine," said Robotnik. "It's in Lab D1."  
"Stay here," ordered the android, before opening the door and leaping out. Through the windshield, Robotnik could see his tall form racing towards the command center.  
Snively sat in his seat, staring nervously through the glass. He noticed Robotnik's eyes were riveted to his hands, which were clenched tightly on the steering stick. Snively took a deep breath, forcing his hands to relax and release the stick. Then he leaned back in the chair. The seat belt dug into the side of his neck, but he ignored it, his eyes widening in fear.  
She was crouched on the front of the craft. Then she punched through the glass, sending the sharp-edged pieces raining into his lap. One shard cut his cheek, and he felt the warm blood running down his face.  
"Miss me?" she hissed, splaying her fingers. The long claws twinkled.  
"No no no no no," he whispered frantically. She rested her hands on his belly, stroking it almost lovingly. Then she smiled, her nose wrinkling and eyes narrowing, and plunged her claws downward into his stomach.  
He wailed as she ripped her hands sideways, then drew her claws out. They were smeared with blood. She dipped them down, and lifted them back up again.  
She was holding the bloody red coils of his insides in her claws. "Here's a gift for you," she smiled, tossing the entrails at him. They bounced onto his chest and he screamed. "Help me!"  
Robotnik looked over at Snively, his red pupils enlarging in surprise. "What are you doing?" he asked. "Snively!" His nephew was howling like a tortured man, his hands clawing feebly at the empty air. Tears were squeezing out from under his tightly closed eyes, twinkling like dew on his eyelashes.  
"Snively!" yelled Robotnik. "Knock it off!"  
But the lackey ignored him. "No please!" he begged. "Stop it, stop it!"  
Robotnik groaned. "He's hallucinating. He's going to attract that demon if he doesn't shut up!"  
Robotnik leaned over and grabbed his nephew by the throat, cutting off his voice, as well as his air. Snively's eyes popped open and he stared at Robotnik in shock. Robotnik saw his eyes calm down, and released him.  
Trembling, Sniv looked around. "S..she's not here?"  
"No." Robotnik raised a fist. "But she will be if you keep screaming like that!"  
"I..I..I'm sorry, sir."

**

As Packbell entered the command center, he pondered their situation. For once, he could not blame Snively for what had happened-the fault fell entirely on Robotnik.  
Stupid fat fool, he thought, running down the corridor. Should've studied the stone before using it!  
He took an elevator up to the laboratory floor, which was near the middle of the building. He stepped out into the long hallway and peered down each length of the corridor. The entity was nowhere in sight.  
The door to Lab D1 slid open soundlessly. Packbell crept into the room. Not wanting to turn on the lights, he used his night vision instead. The stone sat, glowing faintly, on one of the tables, next to an empty syringe. Packbell picked it up and slipped it into the pocket of his black pants. Then he sat in front of the computer and brought up the info search.  
He found the Cage Stone quite fast. "All right," he muttered, scanning the info. "Ah...how the Cage Stone was used."  
He read the information quickly: The mages of the olden times loved the stone, for it was quite simple to catch demons with it. They would cast an 'attract' spell on the stone, and a 'call' spell on the demon. This would suck any demons within a mile into the stone like a magnet!  
But the stone had its own magnet-like qualities without the aid of spells. One didn't have to be a magic-user to use the stone. If the demon so much as touched the stone, it was pulled in.  
"That's it, then," said Packbell aloud. He ran out of the room, the stone heavy in his pocket.

"Here he comes," growled Robotnik irritably.  
"It's about damn time," said Snively, from where he sat in the pilot's seat, legs drawn up to his chest. He was nursing his bleeding mouth---Robotnik had gotten irritated about their entire situation, and had punched him.  
Stupid fat ass-it's YOUR fault! Snively had wanted to shout, but had wisely kept his mouth shut. More and harder punches would have followed that statement.  
The hovercraft door slid open and the android entered the cockpit. "Hold this," he ordered, tossing the stone at Snively. The lackey examined it while Packbell turned to Robotnik.  
"If he has that stone, the entity should leave him alone," said the android. "If the entity touches it, she'll be sucked in, and I doubt she wants to risk that."  
"What about us?" questioned the Fat One.  
"She won't touch us," said Packbell. "Not until she gets her physical body-which means after getting him."  
"Then we're safe," breathed Robotnik. He looked over at Snively. "Don't you DARE lose that stone!"  
"I won't."  
"Get us back to the Command center."  
"Yes sir."

***

For the next few days, things were back to normal. Packbell had drilled a hole through the Cage Stone and threaded a thin chain through it. The make-shift necklace made a gaudy addition to Snively's uniform.  
"Don't you DARE take that off," Robotnik had ordered his nephew. "Not even when you're sleeping...especially when you're sleeping!"  
Snively had no intention of taking it off.

**

The worker-bot factories were sooo boring. But giving reports on the outputs of the factories was a must...every Thursday, Snively would patrol each worker-bot factory, and write down the status of each. How much SWATbots they were building. How many laser weapons they were producing. How much...blah blah blah.  
He hated Thursdays.  
Two SWATbots tramped behind him as he strolled though worker-bot factory C2...a factory that built SWATbots. He stopped for a moment to silently watch a particular worker-bot, Sir Charles.  
Oh Charles, he thought. On our side? Or still a spy? He didn't trust the hedgehog-bot, but Robotnik assured him that Sir Charles would never get his will back again. Snively wasn't too sure about that...he was sure that Charles was still spying for the Freedom Fighters. But it was no use arguing with Robotnik.  
He continued through the factory. The outputs of this factory were good. Above average. He jotted the statistics down quickly on his notepad, drawing a little star next to them. Robotnik loved good reports.  
The SWATbots behind him were getting on his nerves. Why do they constantly have to follow me? He griped silently. He turned around to give them an evil eye, but they just stopped and looked around. He sighed, and began walking again.  
It was nice to be out of the factory. The cool air of the city streets was pleasant, and Sniv leaned against the side of the building for a moment. He heard a noise beside him and turned to look. Almost instantly, a hand grabbed him, and yanked him into the alleyway.  
"Sssshh," a familiar voice said. "No yelling for security."  
"Hedgehog..." hissed the lackey, glaring at the blue hero and the weary-looking Princess beside him.  
"Yep, that's me," said Sonic, smiling widely. He crossed his arms over his chest, not bothering to hold onto Snively...the little man could never outrun him.  
Sniv crossed his own arms in a sort of unconscious mimicking. "What are you doing here, hedgehog?"  
"Well," said the hedgehog in that cocky voice of his, "we were just thinking of trashing your back-up generator. While some others go trash your main generator. And after that, we were going to wreck a few other things."  
"Oh really?"  
"Yep!"  
Sally rolled her eyes. "Great Sonic, just tell him all our plans."  
Sonic laughed and elbowed Sally gently. "Calm down, Sal, he's not going anywhere."  
Sally looked irritated.  
Sonic's sharp ears caught the sound of SWATbots approaching. "Tell them to leave," he ordered Snively.  
Snively leaned out of the alleyway, but disobeyed Sonic. "Security!" he howled. "Get over here!"  
The robots broke into a run towards him. Sonic swore, and grabbed Snively. "That was way uncool, Snobley!"  
Snively started to laugh, but it turned to gasping as Sonic closed his hands around the lackey's throat. "Tell them to back off, Snobley, or I'll crush this little neck of yours!"  
"You wouldn't dare," gasped Snively.  
"Oh, wouldn't I?" Sonic's hands tightened.  
The SWATbots entered the alleyway.  
"SURRENDER FREEDOM FIGHTERS," they droned in unison, lifting their arms. Red laser light spilled onto the three figures.  
Sonic smiled. If the 'bots shot, they would most definitely kill Robotnik's nephew, whom Sonic had shoved in front of him as a shield.  
"Tell them to leave," he said to Snively. "Or they might shoot at me..."  
In a choked voice, the lackey ordered the 'bots to leave. Sonic released his grip on Snively's throat.  
"Good boy," he said, shaking Snively's hand, but the little man yanked it back with an arrogant sniff.  
"Let's go, Sonic," said Sally. "The others are waiting." She eyed Snively. "What are we going to do with him?"  
Sonic rummaged in a nearby dumpster and found a length of cable. "Tie him up."  
Sonic began to loop the cord around Snively, but the little man backhanded him across the face. The hedgehog reeled back in surprise. Snively whipped out his laser pistol and aimed it at Sonic, his finger tightening on the trigger.  
But Sally sprang forward, one well-aimed kick knocking the pistol out of Snively's hand. A stray laser shot struck the dumpster, blowing a golf-ball sized hole through it.  
"I'm having a really bad day," she told Snively. "And you're making it worse."  
"Good," he sneered. She too was taken by surprise, her head snapping back from a good hard punch to her cheek.  
"Bad move," she growled. Then she twirled around on one toe, her other leg going out in a powerful kick, a kick that struck the little man square in the groin, sending him stumbling backwards.  
Sonic winced, as Snively doubled over, crying in pain. The flat of Sally's hand chopped Robotnik's nephew on the back, dropping him to his knees.  
He lifted his head, tears streaming down his cheeks. "You BITCH!!" he squeaked, in a whispery yell.  
Sally cracked her knuckles. Snively got the point, and bit back his other insults, whimpering as he clutched his injury.  
Sally picked up the cable. "Tie him up, Sonic," she ordered, rubbing her head.  
"Geez Sal, did you have to hit him there?" whispered Sonic. "That hurt me just watching that. Ouch!"  
"Just do it, Sonic," said Sally. Her head was pounding.  
Sonic was starting to bind Snively's hands together, when he noticed the necklace. "Hey cool!" he said. He pulled the necklace off Snively's neck.  
"Give that back!" Snively demanded, his voice much higher than usual.  
Sonic smiled. "Cool little bauble ya got here, Snobley."  
"Give it back!"  
Sonic held the necklace up to his own neck. "Oooh, I think it'd look good on me!" he crooned.  
Snively pressed himself against the wall as a mist began forming nearby. "Hedgehog, give it back!" he said Sonic was too busy prancing around and laughing about the tacky necklace.  
The mist was taking the shape of a glowing girl.  
Sally was rolling her eyes.  
The mist completed its transformation and looked over at Snively with wicked eyes. "Hello, my dear," she cooed.  
Snively began to shake in fear, more tears rolling down his face.  
"Oh!" said Sonic, rather surprised at the sight of the entity. "Who are you?"  
She ignored him, taking a step towards Snively. "Time to take what's mine," she hissed.  
"Hedgehog, give me the necklace!" ordered Snively.  
"Why?" asked Sonic, still looking at the entity.  
She was closer to him now. Snively's eyes widened as her nails grew into long claws. He couldn't run--he was in too much pain. The hedgehog had his necklace...he was doomed.  
"Hey lady!" said Sonic. "I said 'who are you?'"  
"You stupid fucking hedgehog!" Snively growled, "She'll kill us all! Give me that necklace!!"  
"Give it to him," said Sally.  
"Sal..."  
"Give it to him, Sonic!"  
"Ok, ok."  
Sonic tossed the necklace at Snively. It clattered to the ground next to him, and he grabbed it up quickly. The demon howled in fury. She began to fade back into mist. "Next time, sweetie, you won't be so lucky..."

"Care to explain?" asked Sally, as Sonic finished tying Snively's hands together.  
"No," said Snively. "I don't want to explain."  
Sonic pulled the knot tighter. "Who cares, Sal? That was just plain weird."  
"Which is why we should know what's going on."  
"It's Robotnik's fault!" Snively said angrily. "He's a fucking idiot!"  
"Let's go, Sal," said Sonic. "You know the others are waiting."  
"Yes, I know," she sighed.  
They left Snively tied up in the alleyway. He wasn't too worried. The rock was back where it belonged, around his neck.

**

Half of the Freedom Fighter's plan had worked--the main generator had been temporarily shut down. But SWATbots were working on that.  
Robotnik was a bit upset about the whole event. "My main generator," he growled. "That is...I don't know how many times they've attacked it! And YOU let them!!!" His fat accusing finger pointed at the weary face of his nephew, who had just been discovered by SWATbots.  
Snively was rubbing his sore wrists and flexing his numb fingers--Sonic had tied the cable too tightly.  
"What do you have to say for yourself?!"  
Snively was silent.  
"Well?!"  
"Sir, there was nothing I could do," said Snively calmly. "I was tied up, remember?"  
"You worthless little scum, you didn't have to get caught!"  
"Well, sir, if I could've avoided being caught, I would have."  
Robotnik pounded his fist on the arm of his chair and screamed. Snively took a step backwards.  
"I am not pleased with this failure! I want you to get more 'bots down there, and have those repairs finished by tomorrow! Do I make myself clear?!"  
"Crystal clear, sir."  
Robotnik rubbed his temples. "I have a headache..."  
Poor baby, thought Snively.  
Robotnik glared down at his nephew. "Well, Snively? Get going!"  
"Of course, sir."

**

After surveying the repairs for a few hours, Snively was bored out of his mind. God, I can't stand this! It's so boring! He yawned loudly.  
He eyed the nearest SWATbot. "Bot 013826, come here."  
The robot clanked over. "Yes sir?"  
"I want you to keep an eye on these repairs for a moment." Snively took off his headset--his communication link to Robotnik and set it down on a console.  
"Yes sir."  
Snively picked his book up from his room, and got a glass of water. I'd better hurry, he thought. If Robotnik decides to check up on me, and I'm not there...  
He didn't want to imagine the next part.  
The downward stairs were at the end of the hallway, and he headed towards them. An elevator was near the bottom of the short stairway.  
There was a clinking noise, and he peered down at the floor. His necklace rested there, the thin chain broken.  
"Oh great," he said aloud. He stepped forward to pick it up, but his foot bumped it, sending it sliding down the hallway. He heard the loud clinks as it bounced down the stairs.  
"Fuck!"  
He heard a low chuckle behind him. Not bothering to look, he ran for the stairs. He was almost there. The water sloshed wildly in the glass, spilling onto the floor. His foot hit a small puddle of that water, and he slipped. The glass bounced down the stairs and shattered.  
"Ow!" he groaned, trying to get up, but a hand grabbed him around the throat and slammed him into the wall. He screamed as he found himself looking at a beautiful face, misty hair, and glowing eyes.  
"Hello," the entity crooned. "At last I have you! I must tell you, you've been my most difficult victim."  
"Let go of me!" he cried.  
"No...I don't think so."  
She held her hand up so he could see it. He watched her nails grow into long claws, sharp and slightly curved.  
"No..." he whined. "No, please..." He struggled in her grip.  
"Oh, stop being so selfish," she laughed. "I just want some energy, that's all."  
He began to sob in fear.  
She smiled, patting his cheek. "I've waited so long for this."  
"Please don't hurt me," he begged.  
She smiled maliciously, and his heart sank low. Hurting him was what gave her pleasure, hurting him was what gave her life.  
"Don't cry, little boy," she said. "You're doing a good thing. You're giving me life." Her tongue, so much like an octupus's tentacle, brushed his face, licking away his tears. But he only cried harder at the touch.  
"What should I do with you?" she mused. "Any ideas?"  
His reply was a whimper of fear.  
"I've got a lot of ideas...it's too bad you're so weak. Your body won't be able to take half the things I've thought up." She frowned. "You are no fun! You're supposed to ask me what I've thought up."  
His eyes widened. She's crazy, he thought, she's insane!  
Her sharp claws ran down his chest, ripping through his uniform. He gulped; with just the slightest more pressure, she would've ripped his skin as well. "What..." his voice was a whisper. "What have you thought up?"  
She smiled gleefully. "Glad you asked! Lots of things. I thought about ripping open your stomach and breaking off all your ribs, like in that dream. That was quite nice. I thought about skinning you like uh... oh yes, a cat. That would be rather painful!"  
He trembled hard, and her hand holding him by the throat shook from the force of it.  
"I thought maybe I could break every bone in your body, one by one. Maybe sucking out all your blood. Maybe just crushing you in a bear hug. Rape would be good too, I could do that."  
His eyes widened further. Rape? How? He shuddered violently, not wanting to think about it, the pain and the humilation of such an act. He prayed to God, to every god that she would decide to finish him off quickly.  
"I could do them all, actually. What one would you like first?"  
"None," he whispered.  
"You're so cute when you're terrified," she said. Her arms suddenly wrapped around him in a passionate hug, and he struggled as she kissed him deeply, that disgusting tongue squirming around in his mouth. He suddenly acted, clamping his teeth down upon her tongue, grinding his molars into that slimey surface. She squealed, trying to pull away, but he held on feircly, his teeth digging even deeper into the flesh.  
Her claws raked his back, setting his nerves afire. In pain, he clamped down even harder, so hard his teeth periced through her tongue, biting it in half.  
She was free now, and she pulled back, releasing him for a second. He spat out the severed piece of tongue. Then he tried to bolt. Her clawed hand shot out, stabbing into his belly.  
"No...ooh God..." He looked down in horror to see dark red blood gushing out around her hand.  
"Look what you did!" she screamed, spraying his face with spittle and blood from her injured tongue. "I didn't want to wound you like that! Not yet!"  
He would've laughed, if he hadn't been weeping in pain. She slammed him agaisnt the wall. "Oooh, boy, you're irritating me now." Her eyes flared with a brillant red light.  
Snively sobbed; her hand was still buried deep in his belly. She drew it out, licking the blood off her claws. She wiped the rest of the liquid on his shirt. "Help me, please, anybody..."  
She laughed. "No one's going to help you." She flexed her fingers, the long claws gleaming under the dim overhead lights. "I need to punish you for you insolence..." she purred.  
Her claws ran down his chest, skirted around the oozing gash in his belly, and continued downwards.  
He gasped as she stopped, her claws resting on that place, the most sensitive area on any man.  
And screamed as she dug her claws in.

**

Robotnik frowned as the com link to Snively's headset crackled with static. He had been calling his lackey for more than five minutes.  
"He knows better than to take that headset off," grumbled Robotnik. "He knows better. This could be a damn emergency."  
Finally someone answered.  
"Snively!" bellowed Robotnik.  
"Negative," came the voice of a SWATbot.  
"Where is Snively?" demanded Robotnik.  
"Rank 02 is not in these premises. Rank 02 put I, Bot 013826, in charge."  
"Where is he?!"  
"Rank 02 did not verify his destination."  
Robo sighed heavily. "Continue your work, Bot 013826."  
"Confirmed." The link crackled with static once more. Robotnik cut the connection and leaned back in his throne.  
"Ooh, Snively, I am going to HURT you for this."

**

"Oh God, please, please, no more..."  
She chuckled softly, eyeing her little captive. Tears steaked his face, and he squirmed in her grip, shaking in pain. She could feel the raw terror just oozing out of him--it hit her hard, making her head reel. She drank it in, feeling her body become more physical by the moment. Already, her hair was REAL hair, not just a misty trail.  
He was a bloody mess. His stomach was still dripping blood, and his clothes were in crimson-stained tatters. She had crushed his arm mercilessly in her grip, and broken several fingers, savoring the shrieks that followed with each grisly snap.  
But now she was tiring of this...she wanted her physical body NOW. Her nerves ached for more energy.  
I'll leach just a bit more fear out of him...then I'll make the kill.  
She drove her claws forward. They stabbed into his side, gouging into his ribs. He howled, wiggling around like a fish on a hook. Tears leaked from his pain-filled eyes. "Oh God, oh God, s-s-somebody p-p-please help meee!" Blood sprayed from his mouth as he screamed.  
She smiled lovingly at him. "You have so much energy! I love it!"  
He whimpered, feeling his feet sliding out from under him, sliding in a slippery scarlet puddle spread out around him. Only one thought filled his head. The necklace. God, I have to get the necklace.  
She pulled her claws out, letting him drop to his knees. Then she crouched down, gripping his chin. "Ooh, did I hurt you?"  
Sobbing, he struggled to break free. But her grip was too strong. He put his hands on the ground for support, feeling the warm liquid squish underneath them. She released her grip on his chin and leaned her face into his. "I think I'll have a little snack," she said, "To start off my big feast! I believe my appetizer will be those pretty little eyes of yours!"  
Desperately, he flung himself sideways as she lunged. He heard her strike the wall, face-first. His hand flew out, grabbing the first step. He was leaned over the edge of the stairway, and eyed the downward slope of the stairs for a second. Then he pushed with his arms, flinging himself over the edge.  
He covered his head as much as possible as he tumbled down the stairway. At the bottom, laying in a twisted heap, he knew he'd hurt himself badly. He had broken more of his ribs, and his leg felt broken as well.  
But he didn't care--the necklace was lying there, two feet away from him.  
God, please, don't let me faint don't let me please, he begged silently, as he inched towards the necklace. His vision was getting dim, and he gasped desperately for air--he had to stay conscious!  
He could reach the necklace, and he grabbed it. Then he let go. And waited.  
The entity descended the stairs slowly, and stopped in front of him.  
"You little fool," she said. "Think killing yourself will stop me?" She laughed. "Don't worry--you'll greet death..."  
Snively waited. She crouched down beside him. "Now, where was I?" she said. "Oh yes," she smiled. "Your eyes."  
She leaned in. Her teeth were close now--close enough to brush against his eyelashes.  
"I don't think so, bitch," he whispered. Then he grabbed the necklace, and pressed the rock hard against her cheek.  
"Noooooooo!" her words died to a helpless scream.  
Snively watched as she changed back into her mist form. The rock was glowing a brilliant yellow, painful to the eyes. The mist was slowly pulled back into the stone. Her last scream of rage ripped through the air, leaving the hallway echoing.  
"Not too smart, were you?" he said aloud. Then he sobbed. He pressed his hands to his chest. His tattered shirt was soaked and he saw the blood oozing out between his fingers.  
Everything was turning a bright glowing white. He felt light-headed and dizzy...the pain was starting to fade.  
"No..." he moaned. He shook his head, clearing his vision a little. Down the hallway was a SpyEye. He could see it hovering there, turned away from him.  
Whimpering with the effort, he managed to drag himself closer to the floating surveillance camera. A smear of red marked his path. The camera turned towards him when he was within range of its hearing sensors. He saw the red center dilate, focusing on him.  
"Help..." he whispered. "Help me..."

**

Three days later!  
"So, it is trapped once again?" Robotnik held the necklace in his hand. The Cage Stone was back to its old appearance, amber-colored with a dark shape inside.  
"Yes," said Snively, his voice still weak. He was sitting on the bed in the medical ward. He was covered in white bandages and stitches and hooked up to an IV. It hurt when he talked.  
"You should be able to get back to work in a few days," said Robotnik. Snively refrained from rolling his eyes. "Because Scratch and Grounder are screwing everything up."  
"No kidding," said Packbell, who delighted in jabbing Snively's broken ribs with his finger. Snively glared over at him.  
"I'm going to lock this thing up," said Robotnik, indicating the stone. Normally, he loved toying with power, but he'd decided this thing was too dangerous. The entity might be able to kill the Freedom Fighters...but it would not hesitate to kill him as well.  
Packbell turned to leave. "I wonder...would it be possible to harness that demon--make her work for us?"  
Robotnik and Snively both glared over at him. "Don't even think about it, Packbell!" They said in unison.  
With his back to his leader, Packbell allowed a smirk to spread across his face. "Of course not, sir...I would never do that...."

THE END!!


End file.
